The health care system in northern Gaza has been obliterated by repeated hostilities, leaving civilians at grave risk of going without lifesaving care. Hospitals, essential lifelines for the wounded and sick, have been severely damaged, and many are now inoperable.

Al-Awda Hospital, one of the few functioning facilities, is overwhelmed by the influx of patients and displaced civilians, while Kamal Adwan and Indonesian hospitals have ceased operations entirely. For months, medical personnel have struggled to provide care amidst ongoing violence, a dire shortage of medical supplies, fuel, and food, and the constant threat to their own safety.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reiterated its urgent call for the protection of medical facilities under international humanitarian law, emphasizing the legal and moral imperative to preserve human life. The ICRC remains committed to supporting healthcare services, ensuring the protection of medical responders, and facilitating the movement of essential supplies and personnel.